For many centuries, this city and its history haunt archaeologists and ordinary adventurers. A century and a half ago, Heinrich Schliemann managed to discover the place where Troy is located, and in 1988 the interest of scientists in this legendary city again increased. To date, a lot of research has been done here and several cultural strata have been discovered.
general information
This settlement of Luvian civilization, also known as Ilion, is an ancient city located in the northwest of Asia Minor, off the coast of the Aegean Sea. That's where Troy was on the world map. The city became famous thanks to the epics of the ancient Greek writer Homer and many legends and myths, and was found by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann.
The main reason why the ancient city managed to gain such popularity is the Trojan War and all its attendant events. According to the descriptions of the Iliad, it was a ten-year war that led to the fall of the settlement.
First moat
There is a hypothesis that the area of Troy was much larger than previously thought. Excavations were carried out in 1992, the result of which was the discovery of a moat encircling the city. This ditch lies quite far from the city walls, surrounding an area of about 200 thousand square meters, although the city itself occupied only about 20 thousand square meters. The German scientist Manfred Korfman believes that the Lower City was located on this territory, and until 1700 BC. e. people still lived here.
Second moat
Two years later, in 1994, during excavations, a second artificially created moat was found, which ran five hundred meters from the fortress. Both moats were a system of fortifications designed to protect the fortress, since they could not be overcome on war chariots. Archaeologists believe that there were pointed pegs or a wooden wall. Such mounts are described in the immortal Iliad, although it can hardly be relied on today as a historical treatise.
Luvians or Cretan Mycenaeans?
Archaeologist Korfman believes that Troy is the direct heir to the Anatolian civilization, and not, as is commonly believed, the Cretan-Mycenaean. The modern territory of Troy contains many finds confirming this. But in 1995, a special discovery was made: they found a seal with hieroglyphs in the Luvian language, which was previously widespread in Asia Minor. But so far, unfortunately, no new finds have been made that could clearly indicate that Troy spoke this language.
However, Korfman was absolutely sure that the ancient Trojans were direct descendants of the Indo-European peoples and were Luvians by origin. This is a people that is about II millennium BC. e. moved to Anatolia. Many items that were found during excavations in Troy, most likely, belong to this particular civilization, and not Greek. There are several other factors supporting the possibility of this assumption. On the territory where Troy was, the fortress walls resemble Mycenaean walls, and the appearance of the dwellings is quite typical of Anatolian architecture.
Religion
During many excavations, Hett-Luvian cult objects were also found here. Near the south gate were four steles, which in the Hittite culture symbolized a deity. In addition, the cemetery, which was located near the city walls, has preserved signs of cremation. Given that this method of burial is uncharacteristic for Western peoples, but the Hittites resorted to it, this is another plus in favor of Korfman's theory. However, today it is very difficult to determine how it really was.
Troy on the world map
Since Troy was between two fires - between the Greeks and the Hittites - she often had to become a participant in the massacres. There were regular wars here, and the settlement was attacked by new enemies. This is scientifically proven, since traces of conflagrations were found at the place where Troy is located, that is, on the territory of modern Turkey. But around 1180 BC e. there was a catastrophe that laid the foundation for a difficult period in the history of not only Troy, but the whole world.
Trojan war
If specific artefacts found during excavations can be said to be concrete, then the events that took place in the political arena, as well as their true background, remain a big question. Lack of information and many theories, often illogical, some take at face value, which gave rise to many myths and legends. The same applies to the epic of the great ancient Greek singer Homer, which some scholars, due to lack of evidence, are ready to consider eyewitness testimony, although this war took place long before the author of the poem was born, and he knew about its progress only from the lips of others.
Elena and Paris
According to the legend described in the Iliad, the cause of the war was a woman, the wife of Tsar Menelaus - Elena. Troy, whose history knew many troubles, was repeatedly attacked by the Greeks before the outbreak of war, as the Trojans managed to control trade relations in the Dardanelles region. According to myths, the war began due to the fact that one of the sons of the Trojan king Priam - Paris - kidnapped the wife of the Greek ruler, and the Greeks, in turn, decided to return her.
Most likely, such an event really took place in history, but not only it was the cause of the war. This incident was the climax, after which the war began.
Trojan horse
Another legend regarding the death of Ilion tells how the Greeks managed to win the battle. According to literary sources, this became possible thanks to the so-called Trojan horse, however, this version has many contradictions. In his first poem, The Iliad, devoted entirely to Troy, Homer does not mention this episode of the war, but in The Odyssey describes it in detail. From this we can conclude that, most likely, it is an fiction, especially since no archaeological evidence was found at the site of Troy.
There is also an assumption that Homer meant a battering ram by the Trojan horse, or in this way he demonstrated the symbol of the ships that were going to kill the city.
Why was Troy destroyed
The history of the city, written by Homer, claims that the Trojan horse caused this death of the city - this non-trivial gift of the Greeks. According to legend, the Greeks claimed that if the horse is in the walls of the city, then he will be able to defend himself against raids.
Most of the inhabitants of the city agreed with this, even though the priest Laocoon threw a spear at the horse, after which it became clear that he was hollow. But, apparently, the logic of the Trojans suffered, and they decided to make an enemy present in the city, for which they paid cruelly. However, this is just an assumption by Homer, it is unlikely that this happened in reality.
Layered Troy
On a modern map, this city-state is located on the territory of Gissarlyk Hill in Turkey. During numerous excavations in this area, several settlements were discovered that were here in antiquity. Archaeologists managed to find nine different layers that belong to different years, and the entire totality of these periods is called Troy.
Only two towers remained from the first settlement. Heinrich Schliemann was engaged in the study of the second layer, believing that it was this Troy in which the sung king Priam lived. Judging by the finds, residents of the sixth settlement in this territory have achieved considerable development. According to the results of excavations, it was possible to establish that during this period there was an active trade with the Greeks. The city itself was destroyed by earthquakes.
Modern archaeologists believe that the seventh of the found layers is Homer Ilion. Historians claim that the city died from a fire initiated by Greek troops. The eighth layer is a settlement of Greek colonists who lived here after Troy was destroyed. They, according to the assurances of archaeologists, built the temple of Athena here. The last of the layers, the ninth, dates back to the era of the Roman Empire.
Modern Troy is a vast territory on which to this day excavations are ongoing. Their goal is to find any evidence of the story described in the great Homeric epic. For many centuries, many legends and myths have prompted scientists, archaeologists and adventurous adventurers to make their contribution, albeit a small one, to the discovery of the mysteries of this magnificent city, which was once one of the main trading arteries of the ancient world.
In the place where Troy is located, many discoveries were made that were extremely important for modern science. But no less mysteries were given by excavations conducted by a huge number of professional archaeologists. Today, one can only wait until new, more solid evidence of the events described in the Odyssey and the Iliad is found. In the meantime, we only have to guess about the true events that took place in the great ancient city of Troy.